2-alarm fire fought in Tewksbury

A Tewksbury firefighter enters a home at the scene of a two-alarm fire at 240 Shawsheen St. Sun/Jon Hill

TEWKSBURY -- Firefighters responded Tuesday afternoon to a two-alarm fire at a home on Shawsheen Street, which Fire Chief Richard Mackey said was caused by an electrical malfunction and started in the basement.

A police officer who was on patrol spotted smoke coming from a two-story, single-family home at 240 Shawsheen St. and called the Fire Department. It took about a half-hour to get the blaze in the basement under control.

Nobody was home at the time, he added. Mackey said as a result, it was unclear if the fire was triggered by power surges related to Hurricane Sandy.

The house was not a total loss but firefighters reported substantial damage to the basement. A Sun photographer on scene said a power line that leads from a telephone pole in front of the home to the home was making large electrical sparks. Electric lines to the house have since been disconnected.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sun. So keep it civil.